Open file



May 1929; (3. c. HARRIS 1,713,601

OPEN FILE Filed May 4, 1'92? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 arr/J" a y y 1929- c. c. HARRIS 1 313.601

' OPEN FILE File y 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 (IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII- AJQ QM Patented May 21, 1929.

UNITED STATES CARL C. HARRIS, 0]? ORANGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

- OPEN FILE.

Application filed Kay 4, 1927. Serial No. 188,799.

to provide a file which can be" used on a desk or table in horizontal position or can be put way in a deep drawer 'in vertical position or used in vertical position as desired; to provide a construction in which the head ends of the letters or folders will project outward- T ly at the front and the separating tabs on the division sheets will also project out beyond them, where they will be readily accessible at all times and visible Without disturbing them; to provide a construction in which the different kinds of papers are'separated from each other at their visible ends only so that they can be withdrawn veryreadily and in which the letter folders that are used will be held loosely at their outer ends for the last mentioned purpose; also to provide a mechanical device by which the letters or folders can be further separated when they are to be inspected so that they can be identified more easily and taken outwith more facility; to provide a practical file which can be used on the table or desk and then put away in the drawer on end-if desired, all ready for use again; to provide means for connecting two or more of the files together or stacking them up one on the other, such means preferably being of such-a nature that the files are connected together immovably as longas the connecting means is in position; to provide means, preferably associated with the last named means, for hoding down the inner ends ofthe folders and papers within the box or file; to provide'separating bars at the front of the file which preferably have some resilience, so that a particularly thick bunch of papers can be inserted and heldv and-removed with just as much readiness as if the space were not all filled; and to provide simple means for holding the files together at their front or open ends, especially when they are to be put away in vertical position.

7 Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanyin drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective-view-of one of the i The folders are put into the file in the posifile boxes with a preferred embodiment of this invention shown therein;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same showing the devices inside in elevation and folders in position; i f Fig. is a plan of the same with the folders in position so as to conceal practically all of the separating bars except the top one;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the device opened up'a'nd the folders separated;

Fig. 5'is a sectional view showing the means for connecting two or more ofthe boxes together when they are stacked up, one over the other; I

- Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a simplified form of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a front view thereof with one of the spaces crowded with apers showing the Etility of the yielding f drm ofseparating ars;

Fig. 8 is a similar view showin complete .means for holding the oxes in vertical, instead of horizontal, position;

Fig. 9 is an end view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 8 illustrating the means for holding the boxes together atthe top; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan thereof especially showing these holding clips at the In thefcirmshown in the first five figures,

the invention is shown as comprising a filing box 10 which I will soinetimesrefer to as a file.- This is a rectangular box having sides and a rear wall but open at the front. The

distance from the rear wall to the front is less than the length of the folders 11 which are placed in the file so that the front ends of the folders or apers, and especially the tabs 12 thereon, w iich designate them, project out and are readily visible at the front. 'The folders are separated by a series of cross bars 13which, in this form, are shown as movably mounted on a pair of, frames 14. These frames are pivoted on a cross bar which in all respects is similar to one of the bars 13 except that it extends clear throughthe side walls and thus constitutes a pivot for the two frames 14 whichsupport the'bars 13. The lower folder or series of papers 11 will rest on this bar 15 and thus will be in the same position irrespective of the position of the other bars.

tions indicated in Fig; 2 where they do not a more 7 in the filing position shown in Fig. 2.

project above the top of the file. If they do the placing of another file upon it is not hampered. The frames 14 project upwardly to the top of'the side walls and I have shown them projectingabove them. When the device is to be used stacked up, one file over another, this frame will not be made long enough to project above the side walls when WVhen it is desired to withdraw a folder or paper, one of these ends is tilted forward. This moves the frames up to the position shown in Fig. l. I have illustrated no mechanical means for holding the frames in that position as ordinarily the papers themselves will hold it there; Of course such a means could be provided in a very simple way. It will be seen that in this position the folders are quite widely separated at the front end so that the visibility and accessability of the device is enhanced. One of these folders can be removed and replaced, either in its original position or elsewhere, with extreme facility and without danger of dislodging anothe one.

- .It will be noted that, as the folders are separated at the front, they will not occupy as much space in the rear as they do in the front. It is convenient also to provide means to prevent their rising upwardly in the rear and thus prevent disarranging the papers and possibly allowing the top one to be accidentally removed. For this purpose I provide :a pairof metal clips 17 each having a projecfor stacking'the files one over another horizontally, they can be reversed as shown in Fig. 5, which shows a slight modification. Here these clips are longer than those shown in the first four figures and they pass through holes 20 in the bottoms of the files next above to prevent dislocation of the files.

In the form shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the bars 23 are of a length sufficient to pass through or into holes inthe front ends of the side walls and are stationary. In this case they serve the same purpose as they would in Fig. 2 if they were not to be moved. They separate the papers and leave the tabs visible but they cannot be moved to provide any further separation. They do not allow- .for filing quite as bulky folders as the form shown in the first four figures. other cases also if desired, the rods are made of small cylindrical wooden strips, or they may be made in any other shape. They are longer than the width.- of the papers filed so that theresiliency of the rods can .be employed-to. pack thick bunches of papers betweenthem as indicated at the top'of Fig. 6.

In this case and in the Of course they can be made of metal wires if desired and can consist of pins projecting in from each side. 1

I have already described the clips 17 shown in Fig. 5 and their two. features of utility. In Fig. 8 Ihave shown an addition to this which consists in employing clips 27 fastened in the same way as in the previous figures and each provided with a perforation 28. A tack or nail 29. is inserted through it into the end of-the next file when they are stacked up together in vertical position so as to holdthem there for-use in vertical filing and especially for use in puttingthem away for a period in a deep drawer or the like. lVhen this is done, it is also preferable to connect the rods- 23 in these files by spring clips 30 atboth ends. Thisholds the files together at the top and bottom for vertical filing as will be obvious from Figs. 9 and 10.

By this invention, in each of the forms shown, a convenient way of filing papers and folders is provided and one in which the in-.

(heating tabs provide instant visibility. The

papers are loose at their front ends to increase this advantage. The user does not have to see the tabs and does not run the risk of disarranging the papers for that purpose. The

papers can be further separated by using the form shown in the first four figures without adding very materially to'the expense of the device. The files are arranged so that they can be stacked up, one on'the other, in horizontal position andso that they can be used in vertical position, as shown in the last three figures, and filed away in that position very conveniently. It is a very simple arrangement and very flexible and'is particularly adapted for files. which are in frequent use.

Although I have illustrated: and described several forms of the invention, I am aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by any personskilledin the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims.

Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction herein shown and described, but what I do claim is-,;

1. As an article of manufacture,a file for the purpose described comprising a horizontal tray-like structure having an open front, a series of horizontal members spaced apart and located at the front for supporting and separating different folders and papers, said and horizontal means at the rear for holding the rear ends of all the folders or papers down in the file.

3. As an article of manufacture, a file for the purpose described comprising a box having an open front, a series of bars spaced apart and extending across the front for supporting and separating different folders and papers at the front, and a pair of clips at the rear of the file having forward projections to hold all the papers 111 the file at their rear ends horizontal;

4. As an article of manufacture, a file for the purpose described comprising a box having an open front, a series of bars spaced apart and extending across the front for supporting and separating different folders and papers, and a pair of clips at the rear of the file having forward projections to hold the papers in the file at their rear ends, said clips being reversible to project upwardly from the rear Wall of the file for the purpose of holding two files together.

6. In a file for the purpose described, the

combination with a box, of a frame pivoted to the box near the end, a series of rods extending across the box and carried by said frame for separating the papers, means for swinging the frame about its pivots so as to raise the rods into a more nearly vertical position and separate the front ends of the papers."

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature. v

CARL C. HARRIS. 

